Adventure Consultants Backcountry Skiing Course, NZ

BACKCOUNTRY SKIING COURSE

2019 COURSE NOTES 2022

BACKCOUNTRY SKIING COURSE

2022 COURSE DETAILS Dates: BSC 1: July 25–28

BSC 2: August 1–4

BSC 3: August 22–25

BSC 4: September 5–8 Duration: 4 days Departure: ex Wanaka, New Zealand Price: NZ$2,090 per person Enjoy the beauty of Wanaka’s stunning McKerrow Range. Photo: Geoff Marks

Welcome to Adventure Consultants’ Backcountry Skiing Course. Our 4-day course is designed to provide you with up-to-date techniques and safety skills for skiing in New Zealand’s vast backcountry. It is directed toward fit and motivated people who have a background in resort-based skiing or snowboarding and wish to extend their skills beyond the ski area boundary.

The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) Avalanche Awareness qualification is included in this course.

We will access the snow by helicopter, after which our course will be based at our private alpine dome camp in the McKerrow Mountains high above the shores of Lake Wanaka. This allows us to start skiing the minute we get up each morning.

You will share the experience with other people hungry for knowledge and skills. At the end of the course, participants will have the skills to plan and explore backcountry skiing and/or snowboarding terrain almost anywhere in the world.

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SKILLS COVERED The following is an outline of skills taught during the course: • Rope handling skills applicable to backcountry skiing or snowboarding • Avalanche awareness and rescue—MSC qualification • Route finding • Ski and snowboard touring techniques • Trip planning and navigation NOTE: Factors such as weather and snow conditions may at times dictate that not all topics are covered in full.

Stay in our comfortable, heated Geo Dome Camp. Photo: Geoff Marks

Learn with like-minded people in a relaxed environment. Photo: Liz Mathieson

MSC QUALIFICATION MSC Avalanche Awareness Certificate: An introductory avalanche awareness course providing essential introductory information for skiers and snowboarders to help make decisions about personal safety while in avalanche terrain.

OUR GUIDES The instructors on our Backcountry Skiing Courses are NZMGA/IFMGA qualified guides with many years’ experience, not only in pursuing their own climbing careers, but also in learning how to pass these skills on in an environment which is conducive to accelerated learning.

Success with the highest margin of care is always a hallmark of our approach; promoting the realisation that even extreme pursuits such as highaltitude mountaineering can be undertaken safely.

A founding principle at Adventure Consultants is to recognise the necessity of positive communication within the group to foster an open and friendly approach to communicating and reinforcing learning processes.

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Tour in the Camp Peaks region. Photo: Geoff Marks

Adventure Consultants employs only NZMGA or IFMGA qualified guides; the most advanced training and certification program internationally. To gain these qualifications guides must undergo rigorous training and assessment on instruction, avalanche training and assessment, wilderness first aid, rescue training and much more. The qualification takes around five years to attain and ensures you are getting a world-class professional service.

TYPICAL COURSE OUTLINE The course begins at 8.30am on Day 1 at the Adventure Consultants Office in Wanaka. If you are renting any touring equipment, please collect this the day prior. This will enable us to leave Wanaka as soon as possible on the first morning to get into the mountains.

Following the introductions, your guide will present the course syllabus, outlining how the week will operate. Equipment will be discussed and any final advice can be given. Our guides will ensure that your rental equipment fits correctly and any final purchases can be made.

Learn a variety of backcountry ski touring skills and techniques. Photo: Camilla Rutherford

We then drive around the shores of Lake Hawea (around half an hour’s drive), load up the helicopter and fly into the mountains. Leaving our gear in the camp, we’re off for a ski/board!

Each day, depending on conditions, we will tour around the Camp Peaks region while operating workshops on different aspects of backcountry skiing and snowboarding techniques. A few turns are high on the list, as well as a little time to take in your surroundings. At the end of the course, we will make our way to a lower elevation and fly back to our vehicle (weather permitting) with an approximate 5.00pm finish on the final day.

layers in the snowpack by digging a snow pit. The snowpack tests show us that things are stable, so we get to ski some steeper lines as we tour back towards the camp. Back at the dome tents, it’s a hungry team that devours their dinner with a continued talk on avalanche awareness and our observations from the field.

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY

SAMPLE ITINERARY

High cloud is building today with a deteriorating forecast. With the remaining good visibility, we get out for some turns. We make our way back to the dome camp for a cooked lunch as the cloud envelopes the surrounding slopes. The afternoon is spent going through snow anchor building, using our skis and boards as anchors, and running through different rope rescue techniques.

The following is a sample itinerary for the 4-day Backcountry Skiing Course:

DAY 4: THURSDAY

DAY 1: MONDAY We convene at the Adventure Consultants office in Wanaka, have a meet-and-greet session and discuss the plan for the week, including the latest weather forecasts. We sort our gear and drive to the helipad on the shores of Lake Wanaka, where we fly into the McKerrow Camp. After some initial transceiver training, we spend the remainder of the day skiing the slopes of Teat Ridge. Then it’s back to the hut for dinner and a weather talk by our guide.

DAY 2: TUESDAY It’s up early and the stoves are on for a cooked breakfast and plenty of coffee. After making lunches, we head out the door and tour around to ski the northern slopes. It’s not all about the turns though, as our guide takes us through looking at

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We wake to find the weather has cleared overnight.

Today the guide puts the group in the hot seat and gets them to plan the day ahead, including where they think they will find good snow to ski and where it will be safe to do so. It is later in the afternoon that our helicopter arrives to pick us up and take us back to the lakeshore and the short drive back to Wanaka. What a fantastic few days!

COURSE DATES 2022 BSC 1: July 25–28 BSC 2: August 1–4 BSC 3: August 22–25 BSC 4: September 5–8

For any course overnights in Wanaka, dormitory style backpackers with shared bathroom facilities will be provided. You may decide to upgrade to single accommodation in Wanaka at your own expense, should you require.

NOTE: Adventure Consultants will provide food and accommodation while the course is running, which is from 8.30am on Day 1 until 5.00pm on Day 4. All food and accommodation outside this time will be at your expense.

EQUIPMENT Helicopter access maximises time on the snow. Photo: Kirsten Rabe

CLASS SIZE Each course will run with a minimum of 3 students and 1 guide and has a maximum class size of 8 students and 2 guides.

HOW THE COURSE OPERATES We will spend as much time in the mountains as possible actually skiing and riding, whilst developing skills. Initially, we will develop and reinforce skills in a contained environment before moving onto more challenging terrain during the course if conditions permit.

The emphasis of the course will be on route finding and avalanche awareness techniques and will involve fairly long days where your guides will progressively introduce a wider range of skills and techniques.

Skiing in the New Zealand mountains requires good personal gear due to the potential cold weather conditions. Our focus is on having the essential clothing and equipment whilst keeping packs as light as possible for your comfort and ease of travel.

Upon sign up, we will send out a comprehensive equipment list and your guide will go through this with you prior to the trip. All group equipment will be organised by your guide and we carry a good range of modern rental equipment for your personal needs. If would like to rent from us, please advise your requirements in advance to ensure correct sizing and availability.

We have snowshoes available for rent for snowboarders or, better yet, we can help you rent a splitboard and climbing skins. For skiers, we can help you rent specialised touring skis, boots and skins.

If you intend to buy equipment items, we are happy to advise on suitable brands and models. We offer our clients discounted prices on a selection of climbing equipment and clothing, and can arrange for it to be available upon your arrival.

Weather plays a major factor in any mountain experience and New Zealand’s Southern Alps get their share. We intend to run the course according to schedule, however as we at the whim of the weather we often have to adjust our program accordingly. This in itself is an important lesson for the group in versatility and objective selection based on the present and forecast conditions.

COURSE ACCOMMODATION Adventure Consultants will provide your accommodation while the course is running, which is from 8.30am on Day 1 until 5.00pm on Day 4.

In the mountains, you will stay in Adventure Consultants private heli-accessed dome tent camp with shared bunk rooms and basic facilities.

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Ski untracked powder. Photo: Geoff Marks

The McKerrow Range overlooks lakes Wanaka and Hawea. Photo: Andy Cole

WEATHER

FITNESS & HEALTH

Weather is an integral facet of any mountain range and getting to understand and work with this major environmental factor is what will distinguish you from the others. The New Zealand weather can be fierce but also benign. A climber who learns to optimise their opportunities here will have the skills to climb in any other mountain environment on Earth.

To make the most of your experience, we encourage you to work on your fitness prior to the trip. You need to be a strong intermediate skier or snowboarder to get the most out of the course.

Your guide places special focus on fitness levels and will regulate the pace accordingly.

Our backcountry skiing and snowboarding season runs from August through to November. Our experience with New Zealand weather shows that August has more stable weather conditions.

There are approximately 9 daylight hours in winter.

Temperatures will drop to as low as -10°C and could rise to as high as 15°C. On your course, it is probable that some adverse weather may affect our touring plans however we will attempt to anticipate what best moves to make for the positive outcome of the course. If adverse weather affects our access into the high mountains, we can utilise the excellent backcountry skiing terrain around Wanaka with day trips until it improves.

COMMUNICATION & MESSAGES Our guides are in radio/cell/sat phone communication with our operations base and Department of Conservation headquarters throughout the trip. This assists us with schedule and weather forecast updates, helicopter coordination and safety back up. Urgent messages can be relayed via our office to the field if required.

Each course travelling into remote regions carries a locator beacon for additional security.

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Our registration form requests that you advise us of any medical problems you may have and of any medications you are taking. Any information you supply will be treated as confidential.

FOOD We place emphasis on providing nutritious meals and a good supply of snack food throughout the trip. If you have any special dietary requirements, please advise us at the time of registration. For special diets such as vegan and gluten or dairy free, we will call you to discuss your needs and how this will work in the group cooking situation.

INSURANCE We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation and travel insurance to cover any injury or mishap that occurs prior to or whilst on your trip.

Whilst our focus is on safety and our track record supports this, the mountains do have hazards and there is always the potential for mishap. Should you be injured on the trip, the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) would pay rescue costs, however, you may not be eligible for bulk compensation payments. You are responsible for any costs beyond the cover provided by ACC.

to the Mt Aspiring region, just a ten-minute drive from our offices. Three ski resorts provide plentiful winter activity and all year-round fishing, boating, mountain biking and numerous other recreational activities abound.

COURSE FEE The course fee is NZ$2,090 per person.

The price includes: • • • • • • • • • •

Guide and permit fees All trip-related meals and energy foods Camp/hut fees Group technical equipment Avalanche rescue equipment Handbook: ‘A Climber’s Guide to NZ Mountaineering Techniques’ by Guy Cotter, Dean Staples and Mark Sedon ‘Avalanche Awareness in the New Zealand Backcountry’ by Penny Goddard MSC avalanche course certificate Helicopter access and egress flight and landing fees 15% NZ Goods & Services Tax

NOTE: Prices are subject to change without notice. Learn how to analyse the snowpack. Photo: Suze Kelly

PAYMENT DETAILS

TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION

All payments should be made by bank transfer to the following bank and account:

We commence the Backcountry Skiing Course from our base in Wanaka. Air New Zealand and Qantas/Jetstar provide daily services for flights from Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington to Queenstown. There are also direct international flights from most major Australian cities to Queenstown.

Bank: Bank of New Zealand For the Account of: Adventure Consultants Limited Account Number: 02 0673 0043443 00 Account Type: NZ Dollars

A shuttle service operates several times daily between Queenstown and Wanaka (approximately one hour driving time and at NZ$35 each way).

Check https://www.ritchies.co.nz/wanaka for details.

Bus services operate daily between Christchurch and Wanaka (approximately 6 hours travel time).

We also accept your deposit and balance payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard and Amex) plus a 3% card charge.

Wanaka has a range of accommodation from backpackers, youth hostels, motels and hotels to luxury lodges. We are happy to assist with your accommodation and bus transfer arrangements.

You will need to arrive in town the night prior to the course commencing. Please give us a call to confirm your arrival in town.

You will find some of New Zealand’s best sport climbing in the Matukituki Valley—the gateway

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NOTE: All bank transfer charges are for the remitter’s account.

DEPOSIT To confirm place on one of our courses, we require a completed registration form with a deposit of NZ$1,000 per person.

BALANCE The balance payment is due 60 days prior to the course start date.

Start touring straight from the camp. Photo: Geoff Marks

CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

CONTACT US

• Cancellations outside of 60 days incur a NZ$500 cancellation fee.

• For cancellations made within 60 days of the trip commencement date we reserve the right to retain 50% of the full fee.

• For cancellations made within 30 days of the trip commencement date we reserve the right to retain 75% of the full fee.

• For cancellations within 15 days of the departure date a cancellation fee of 100% of the full fee applies.

If you require more information, please contact us at:

We recommend you take out trip cancellation insurance via your travel agent if you wish to be covered against cancellation due to medical or personal reasons.

HOW TO JOIN THIS COURSE If you would like to join one of our Backcountry Skiing Courses, please complete our online booking form and forward your deposit payment at https:// www.adventureconsultants.com/skiing/newzealand-guided-ski-touring/backcountry-skiingcourse/book-now.

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Adventure Consultants Ltd PO Box 739 Wanaka 9343 New Zealand Phone: +64 3 443 8711 Email: info@adventure.co.nz Web: www.adventureconsultants.com

Endless skies. Photo: Geoff Marks

Adventure Consultants is affiliated to the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association (NZMGA), New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) and a corporate member of the American Alpine Club (AAC). Adventure Consultants is a supporter of the dZi Foundation in Nepal for their ‘Revitalise a Village’ programmes.

Adventure Consultants perform to IFMGA/UIAGM standards and are world leaders in high altitude guiding.

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